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A Disc Jockey, usually abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for a live audience. There are numerous reasons for becoming a DJ. One major reason is an enjoyment one can have by creating an ambience that the audience appreciates.

However it can be difficult to enjoy being a DJ, especially in early stages. One major reason is DJ's inability to align needs of audience, wishes of management and what is required of the DJ.

Needs of audience can be categorized into following broad areas based on type of event:​

Lounge/Bar without a dance floor : Patrons at these establishments are interested in having conversations with each other. Music should not interfere with the above objective.

Lounge/Bar with a dance floor : Patrons at these establishments are interested in having conversations with each other and dancing to music at some point during the night. It is ok for the music to be loud, but not too loud where it is impossible for people to talk to each other.

Club : Patrons at these establishments are interested in dancing. They expect to hear music that make them move. They expect music they hear to not have any abrupt changes that interfere with dancing.

Specialty Dancing Venues : Includes venues where patrons frequent to enjoy a particular type of dance. All partner dancing venues fall under this category and there is a need for music to stop at regular intervals so that patrons can change partners.

Radio, Live/Recorded Streaming : Listeners expect music to be aesthetically pleasing. This is not to say that this aspect is not important in other categories.

Music Festival : Patrons at these events are there to listen to their favorite artists. They expect artists to play original creations and remixes. They hope to listen to remixes and original creations that the artist is working on/haven't released yet.

DJ Competitions : Patrons at these events are there to appreciate technical aspects of DJing such as scratching, beat juggling and other creative routines that emphasize manipulation of sound samples live.

Private Event : Includes weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, sweet sixteens, proms and any gathering that includes music where the main focus of the event is something other than music and dancing. If a dance floor is not present expectations of people are similar to patrons of a lounge/bar with no dance floor. If a dance floor is present expectations of people are similar to lounge/bar with a dance floor.

Wishes of management can change based on type of event. However the primary objective is to keep the patrons happy. They are also concerned about any risks involved with someone tripping over equipment/wires.

What is required of DJ can be categorized into following areas based on type of event. Within each category, what is required of the DJ is listed in the order of importance.

Lounge/Bar without a dance floor

Selection of music that matches the ambience management expects.

Volume adjustments and equalization (adjustment of High-Mid-Low frequencies) of music to facilitate conversations.

​Aesthetically pleasing music. This is subjective. However songs that adhere to best practices of music theory usually are pleasing to most individuals.

Energy of the songs match with phases of the musical journey you are curating.

Smooth transitions from one song to another. Beat matching and mix point selection skills help.

Harmonic transitions from one song to another. Ability to identify key of the song or at a minimum, ability to detect dissonance while cueing are important skills.

OPTIONAL - Scratching, Beat Juggling and any other creative routines that harmonize with ambience. Ability to detect sounds that are dissonant with music one is scratching over helps make necessary adjustment to ones routine.

OPTIONAL - Original music and remixes produced by the DJ. A good understanding of music theory and ability to tune all sounds to fall within the key of the song is very important. (It is possible to have dissonant sounds or change key mid song and still get away with it if you are going for that effect. However it is not recommended for a DJ starting out)

Lounge/Bar with a dance floor

Selection of music that matches the ambience management expects.

Volume adjustments and equalization (adjustment of High-Mid-Low frequencies) of music to facilitate conversations during early hours of the event.

​Aesthetically pleasing music. This is subjective. However songs that adhere to best practices of music theory usually are pleasing to most individuals.

Energy of the songs match with phases of the musical journey you are curating.

Smooth transitions from one song to another. Beat matching and mix point selection skills help.

Harmonic transitions from one song to another. Ability to identify key of the song or at a minimum, ability to detect dissonance while cueing are important skills.

OPTIONAL - Scratching, Beat Juggling and any other creative routines that harmonize with ambience. Ability to detect sounds that are dissonant with music one is scratching over helps make necessary adjustment to ones routine.

OPTIONAL - Original music and remixes produced by the DJ. A good understanding of music theory and ability to tune all sounds to fall within the key of the song is very important. (It is possible to have dissonant sounds or change key mid song and still get away with it if you are going for that effect. However it is not recommended for a DJ starting out)

Club

Selection of music that matches the ambience management expects.

​Aesthetically pleasing music. This is subjective. However songs that adhere to best practices of music theory usually are pleasing to most individuals.

Energy of the songs match with phases of the musical journey you are curating.

Smooth transitions from one song to another. Beat matching and mix point selection skills help.

Harmonic transitions from one song to another. Ability to identify key of the song or at a minimum, ability to detect dissonance while cueing are important skills.

OPTIONAL - Scratching, Beat Juggling and any other creative routines that harmonize with ambience. Ability to detect sounds that are dissonant with music one is scratching over helps make necessary adjustment to ones routine.

OPTIONAL - Original music and remixes produced by the DJ. A good understanding of music theory and ability to tune all sounds to fall within the key of the song is very important. (It is possible to have dissonant sounds or change key mid song and still get away with it if you are going for that effect. However it is not recommended for a DJ starting out)

Specialty Dancing Venues

Selection of music that matches the ambience patrons expects.

​Aesthetically pleasing music. This is subjective. However songs that adhere to best practices of music theory usually are pleasing to most individuals.

Energy of the songs match with phases of the musical journey you are curating.

Let the song play from beginning to end whenever possible. If the song is unusually long, fade the volume at an appropriate point in time to keep song duration around average time patrons are used to. Remember that patrons change partners between songs. It is important to have at least one second silence between songs.

OPTIONAL - Scratching, Beat Juggling and any other creative routines that harmonize with the genre you are playing.

OPTIONAL - Original music and remixes produced by the DJ. A good understanding of music theory and ability to tune all sounds to fall within the key of the song is very important. Time signatures and song structuture can be very different from what one typically expects.

Radio, Live/Recorded Streaming

Selection of music that matches the ambience management expects.

​Aesthetically pleasing music. This is subjective. However songs that adhere to best practices of music theory usually are pleasing to most individuals.

OPTIONAL - Smooth transitions from one song to another. Beat matching and mix point selection skills help.

OPTIONAL - Harmonic transitions from one song to another. Ability to identify key of the song or at a minimum, ability to detect dissonance while cueing are important skills.

OPTIONAL - Scratching, Beat Juggling and any other creative routines that harmonize with ambience. Ability to detect sounds that are dissonant with music one is scratching over helps make necessary adjustment to ones routine.

OPTIONAL - Original music and remixes produced by the DJ. A good understanding of music theory and ability to tune all sounds to fall within the key of the song is very important. (It is possible to have dissonant sounds or change key mid song and still get away with it if you are going for that effect. However it is not recommended for a DJ starting out)

Music Festival

Original music and remixes produced by the DJ. A good understanding of music theory and ability to tune all sounds to fall within the key of the song is very important. (It is possible to have dissonant sounds or change key mid song and still get away with it if you are going for that effect. However it is not recommended for a DJ starting out)

Selection of music that matches the ambience of DJs brand.

​Aesthetically pleasing music. This is subjective. However songs that adhere to best practices of music theory usually are pleasing to most individuals.

Harmonic transitions from one song to another. Ability to identify key of the song or at a minimum, ability to detect dissonance while cueing are important skills.

Smooth transitions from one song to another. Beat matching and mix point selection skills help.

OPTIONAL - Scratching, Beat Juggling and any other creative routines that harmonize with ambience. Ability to detect sounds that are dissonant with music one is scratching over helps make necessary adjustment to ones routine.

DJ Competitions

Scratching, Beat Juggling and any other creative routines that showcase your ability to manipulate sound samples real time to create interesting series of sounds.

Private Event :

Selection of music that matches the ambience of the type of event. You will need to guess what ambience is expected since it will be difficult for the person booking you to clearly communicate this. He/She might say "I want Hip-Hop". What hip-hip means will depend from person to person. Ask in advance the person booking you to give names of a few songs he/she expects to be played. This will help you make your guess.

Volume adjustments and equalization (adjustment of High-Mid-Low frequencies) of music to facilitate conversations when needed.

​Aesthetically pleasing music. This is subjective. However songs that adhere to best practices of music theory usually are pleasing to most individuals.

Smooth transitions from one song to another (If people are dancing). Beat matching and mix point selection skills help.

Harmonic transitions from one song to another (If people are dancing). Ability to identify key of the song or at a minimum, ability to detect dissonance while cueing are important skills.

OPTIONAL - Scratching, Beat Juggling and any other creative routines that harmonize with ambience. Ability to detect sounds that are dissonant with music one is scratching over helps make necessary adjustment to ones routine.

OPTIONAL - Original music and remixes produced by the DJ. A good understanding of music theory and ability to tune all sounds to fall within the key of the song is very important. (It is possible to have dissonant sounds or change key mid song and still get away with it if you are going for that effect. However it is not recommended for a DJ starting out)

By recognizing different types of events demand different aspects of a DJ's skills a DJ can focus on improving skills important to type of event he/she enjoys being part of.

Depending on where you come from, the things you take into consideration when choosing the music for your wedding are dramatically different. Back when I got married, I would NEVER have used a DJ in a million years, having coming from the school of thought that a DJ is a loud obnoxious creature who incites your guests to do dances you would prefer never be a part of your biggest day (Macarena, ChaCha, Slide, YMCA... I could go on forever). While my guests had fun dancing to the bands I selected both in Vieques and Washington, DC, now that I know more, I certainly wonder if we might have had a much, much better time if we’d had a good DJ with a good playlist instead.

With five-plus years of wedding planning experience, I’m here to tell you that not all DJs are created equal, and the good ones are worth their weight in gold. But even if you don’t necessarily have a whole bunch of DJ options for your wedding (the venue provides it or you’re getting married on an island that only has a couple of choices), you can structure your wedding playlist in a way that makes your wedding flow seamlessly even if the guy running the system is dumber than a box of rocks.

Here are some tips to help you set things up so that you can relax and enjoy the music you want to hear on your big day!

(1) Establish up front that you are the CLIENT and you are in charge. Let him know if you don’t like a talker. Tell him if he has absolutely no room for independent judgment. If you don’t want to hear a single song that isn’t on your personal playlist, let him know. Lay out the ground rules and don’t be afraid to be a little bit aggressive and put it writing, asking him to acknowledge your requests. Many DJs prefer you be upfront and direct. Just don’t be rude about it. There’s a way to be demanding without being Bridezilla. Be a little nicer if he’s your only option at the venue.

(2) Be very specific about your playlist and, if he doesn’t give you a good form to work with, create your own and include the following categories:

Ceremony

Prelude music

Music for seating the mothers

Music for the bridesmaids’ processional

Music for the bride’s processional

Recessional music

Reception

Cocktail music pre-entrance

Entrance song

First dance song

Daddy/daughter dance song

Mother/son dance song

Cocktail music post-entrance

Dinner music

Cake cutting song

Bouquet/garter toss songs

Last dance

(3) Decide whether you’re going to let the DJ take requests or not, and make sure you’re clear on the system with the DJ. If you’d prefer he not take requests, you can ask him to tell people that he doesn’t have the music being requested up to a certain point. If somebody gets aggressive, he might have to explain that the bride and groom have requested no spontaneous requests.

(4) Be VERY SPECIFIC about your “Do Not Play” list. Those are the songs you really, really don’t want to hear at your wedding. You never know what your friends may request, and you’re better off making sure the DJ knows at the outset exactly how you feel about that. Trust me, “We are Family” can be a very awkward music selection in many groups.

(5) Get your playlist to your DJ as early as possible. Every DJ has a different system, and many of them have to pull your playlist from their master systems, especially if you’re getting married somewhere like the tropics where the DJs might not have the most current systems. Some of them need time to make sure they have all your music ready in time for your wedding. At the very latest, have all song selections to your music master no less than 30 days prior to your wedding date. A full 90 days is even better.

If you’re not working with a wedding planner, or you don’t trust the recommendations of the venue’s banquet manager, do your own homework and research and see what other brides who got married in your area had to say about their own DJs. Angry and dissatisfied brides blog...fairly or not. But you’ll be able to tell who sounds like a bitter crazy person and who had a legitimately bad experience. Hopefully, you can learn something from their bad experiences rather than repeating them yourself.​- Sandy Malone